TROY – Wings coach Mike Babcock knows the challenges of each and every NHL season.

And an abbreviated one leaves little room for error.

“I think every game last year was the same thing,” Babcock said in a phone interview Wednesday. “You can’t get behind the eight ball. The league is so tight now that you just can’t afford to get behind. You have to get out to a big start.”

The league is expected to announce a 48-game regular season soon which would begin on Jan. 19. All games will be played within your conference – four games against two divisional, five against two other divisional opponents and three games against 10 conference rivals.

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“We need to get off to a good start and hope we have good luck with injuries and we’ll go from there,” Babcock said. “It’s like any year, you’ve got to get your team playing and you’ve got to get them playing in a hurry. If we can do that we’re in the group.”

Making the Wings’ sprint to the postseason more difficult is the same pitfall that arises come playoff time – travel.

“When you have time changes like we do when you play in the West and live in the East the travel and the time change is going to be absolutely ridiculous,” Babcock said. “The way you eat, the way you sleep, the way you off-ice train, the way you attend to injuries and get therapy are going to be the only form of survival. If you think you can avoid any of those things and survive you can’t. It just won’t happen.”

When training camps opens either Sunday or Monday in Detroit, Babcock has his lines ready to go.

The defense pairings will be Niklas Kronwall and Jonathan Ericsson; Kyle Quincey and Brendan Smith; Ian White with Carlo Colaiacovo. If Colaiacovo isn’t healthy, Jakub Kindl will skate with White.

“Zetterberg and Datsyuk are going to be a tandem as will Franzen and Filppula,” Babcock said. “The wingers can rotate.”

Babcock also likes what he’s seen from Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar, Joakim Andersson and Riley Sheahan in Grand Rapids.

“They’ve been fantastic,” Babcock said. “We’ve got some players playing real well for us in Grand Rapids and they’re ready to play. They think they’re NHLers. So if we have injuries or guys that stumble we have guys ready to help us out.

“The simple thing for me is I’m going to watch and whoever is playing good is going to get to play,” Babcock continued. “The other thing is you normally have five weeks of exhibition to figure it out, the tryouts start day one and then the season starts. If you’re playing good day one you’re playing a lot. If you’re not playing good someone else is going to have your job.”

One more year for Nick?

Babcock said there is no truth to the rumors that he tried to coax Nicklas Lidstrom out of retirement to play a shortened season.

“He’s not playing,” Babcock said. “That’s somebody’s dream.”

Babcock did talk to Lidstrom recently when the seven-time Norris Trophy winner was on the phone with Wings general manager Ken Holland.

“He handed me the phone and we started talking about the club,” Babcock recalled. “I told him I hoped he was doing well and enjoying retirement and asked if he was driving his wife crazy.

“He said he’s been to a lot of games (in Sweden),” Babcock continued. “I asked when the crowd gets going, does he still get excited enough to put his equipment. He said no and we both laughed.”

The Wings also lost Brad Stuart last season and Brain Rafalski the year before.

“We’re a way deeper team up front than we were last year,” Babcock said. “We’re not near as the same on the back. Anytime you lose Lidstrom, Rafalski and Stuart in that short amount of time that’s three of your top four defensemen. The challenge is there’s an opportunity for all these guys whether it be Big E, or Kronner, or Quincey, or Smith or White or Kindl or Colaiacovo, it’s right there you just have to go out there and grab it.”

Opening on the road

A source confirmed to The Macomb Daly that the Wings will open the season on the road in St. Louis on Jan. 19 and follow that up with a trip to Columbus on Jan. 21.

No announcement of the Wings’ home opener has been made.

Staying in Russia

Pavel Datsyuk will miss the start of training camp because he’ll be playing in the KHL All-Star game on Sunday in Chelyabinsk, Russia, which isn’t far from his hometown of Ekaterinburg.

He plans to fly back to Detroit on Monday according to his agent Gary Greenstin, who got the OK from the Wings for him to do so.

“He’s one of the best players in the KHL,” Greenstin said. “He has done a lot for the Detroit Red Wings. He’ll miss one day of training camp. He’s in great shape.

“He’s the No. 1 popular player in Russia,” Greenstin added. “(Holland) gave me permission.”

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